The Wick
by Jack Yokle
Summary: Meera Flame must deliver the Eternal Flame to the corrupt leaders CANDLe, protect herself and her AI-guided robot, cross the Wasteland Earth, and face many dangers like Raiders, alien monsters, an evil Research Center, and more. Can she hope to survive?
1. Big Dreams

The Wick

CHAPTER ONE

Big Dreams

It all started with a dream. But then again, doesn't it always?

When I was really young, I dreamed of going to space. A few years later, I longed to be a great athletic champion. And soon after that, an actress, artist, and so on. Do you see the pattern? I've always wanted to be famous, and will happily go to great lengths to get there.

The world is a big place. I've heard from my friend Rolph that before the Epitaph came with all their horrible monsters and made the world a wasteland, there used to be billions and billions of people on earth. Before the technologic age from 2100 to 2200, mother Earth was a very populated place. But then in 2103, the epitaph came through a giant pit in the sky(called a slip space rift) and landed on Earth. Then, we, the people, attacked. The aliens were great fighters, but the soldiers we sent in were too great for them. The humans defeated them and conquered the giant space cruiser on April 3, 2103, 17 days after it landed. The alien's defeat led to the formation of the human government CANDLe. This corrupt government has ruled the earth since.

Anyway, humanity took the ship but accidentally released the creatures on board. People today call that ship "the Ark" since it carried two of each of the Epitaph' s strange creatures, like hook -claws, long hook like one eyed creatures that borrow underground, or poison-stings, bee-like insects with a poisonous stinger that inflict an infectious virus. After the epitaph landed, humanity began to make great advances in technology thanks to the aliens.

For example, in the year 2127, Richard Dinger created the first hologram. It wasn't a very useful invention, but it marked the beginning of a new era. Though the technologic age began 27 years prior, the world took its first great leap with the hologram. From there, many new inventions sprung. Next was the hover board, in cyro pods, and soon, AI. For those that are not technologically understanding, AI is short for artificial intelligence. This was the ultimate of an invention of its time. It allowed so much more to be done with so little.

AI allowed robots, and robots allowed slaves, friends, workers, without a single ounce of human sweat. Robots evolved over time, starting out clunky and big, then becoming thinner and compact. Soon, robots became more of helpers than anything else. Nowadays, since metal is scarce, robots are only used by higher-ranked officials. Robots were now small orb-like floating devices, capable of over 1000 functions.

These years of the technologic age were supposedly some of the greatest. By the year 2250, CANDLe's government became an empire. The Epitaph fell under this as well, and became worth as much as the rest of humanity. The leader of CANDLe, Darwin Flicker, declared unjust laws and led to much uproar. A time of rebellion began, and a group of humans began a rebellion. For about 15 years, they waged war until finally, CANDLe took back order and not only that, tightened and perfected the government. CANDLe began to take from the Epitaph's technology and soon gained enough power to create a stronghold, called The Wax.

The Wax was like a giant metal fortress extending out into the sky. The Wax was created from the ruins of the Ark, and used technology created by aliens that turned over to candle. One of the many technologies was the core, a compound that only its makers knew what it was made of. The core was almost 2000° under zero Fahrenheit and supposedly had enough power to maintain the entire fortress. The Wax still exists to this day, somewhere in Europe.

CANDLe's headquaters' core runs on a very rare substance called the Eternal Flame. It is said to only exist in it in organisms that carry great energy or life force. The Flame is found all over the planet, and it is the job of the Wick to carry that flame to The Wax in a special lighter-like holder. Sometimes it is a short journey; most times it is a long and grueling one. Due to the amount of terrors that await the Wick, not many people take the job. The Wax's core is only needed to be fueled once a year, at the same time as the last.

This is where I, Meera Flame, come in. The only people to have ever survived as the Wick, were men and there were only a few at best. An Eternal Flame was recently found near my hometown Pivot, California. I'm going to take the job and become the first 14-year-old and GIRL to escort the flame to the wax. And so, this is where my story begins. With my crazy, sawed out dream.

*****

Flash forward to the day before my departure. I awake gradually and groggily. The light filtering through the shades seemed to threaten my last day of blissful sleep before a long walk began. Today I would meet my traveling companion, a robot, candle class, that would help me to escort the eternal flame. My crowded room seems to reach out every shelf, with every knickknack piled high and low. Airplanes, collectibles, spaceships, books, movies, pens of every sort in every shape, bits of paper stacked from here to there and everywhere. My bed sitting in the middle of the mess, my cupboards full of clothes surround it. A body length mirror in the corner, a present for my mom. And on my bedside table, pictures. Memories.

I stand up, stretch, and look at myself in the mirror. There is the normal 14-year-old me, to the world, just one of the many people on the earth. Hopefully, tomorrow that'll change. My ginger red hair is all tangled up in a knot to the top of my head, and my tall lean figure is slouched, in an ordinary post-apocalyptic teenage way. My sea blue eyes counteract against my fiery red hair, which I get from my mom. My 4-year-old brother, Toph, knocks on the door and speaks innocently,calling me by the only way he can pronounce my name.

"Me-Wah?" He asks. "Aw Woo Up Wet?"

I shake my head quickly to make a mess of hair I have less frizzy. "Yep, Toph. I'll be right out." I lean over to my cupboard of clothes and pull out a presentable T-shirt and jeans. I quickly change to head downstairs.

Toph awaits me at the bottom of the crooked stairs. He's the only one in my family to have sandy blond hair and green eyes and we consider him a special for that. He does get sick a lot, but the clinic has no explanation for it. He lives each day to the fullest in case he may not live to see the next. I follow him to the musky hallway down to the rickety kitchen. My auburn haired mother awaits us, and the smell of pancakes fills my nose.

"Good morning, Mom." I say and sit down at the second-hand wayward table. "Food smells delish."

"Thanks honey." She says, and leans over to kiss me on the forehead, frying pan in hand. And no, we don't use the really advanced food processors that instantly slam ingredients together to make a meal, we don't have enough money for that kind of stuff. She serves me a pancake while Toph waddles in.

"Mommy!" he wails, and runs to hug our mother. She kisses him on top of his head as well, and serves up a pancake for him while he pulls himself up onto his chair. Toph is a lot taller than other toddlers, giving him certain advantages to his life.

"Are you all packed, Meera, for tomorrow?" My mom inquires.

"I'm pretty sure." I reply, mouth full with buttermilk pancakes dripping with maple syrup. "Just one or two last minute checks and changes and I'll be---" I am interrupted by the syrup suddenly belching in my face.

"Mee-Wah can't go!" Toph cries, and squirts me again with the maple syrup. I gasp, in surprise and the syrup bottle quickly flies into my hands. I gasp again, this time in shock, at the mysterious happening. Toph cries, "Mee-Wah, don't go!!!!" and begins to sob. I climb out of my seat toward him, but instead he bolts upstairs. SWUP. The sound of a newspaper coming down a delivery port echoes through the chilling silence and my mom rushes off to it.

I sigh and walk over to the sink and try to wash out the syrup stain all over my shirt. In the end, it doesn't completely come out, but I figure, close enough. I then grab Toph's plate, and walk back through the hall to the stairs. I see my mom's figure looking at the paper, her hand to her mouth in shock. I'm almost about to go talk to her when I hear Toph's young innocent cries upstairs. I turn to the stairs and ascend.

So far, this day was going well.

NEXT WEEK: CHAPTER 2: CONSERVATIONALIST


	2. Thrill of Adventure

The Wick

CHAPTER TWO

Thrill of Adventure

I arrive at the top of stairs with due haste and make my way into my brother's room. His room was much more organized than mine -- he had a bookshelf with only a few books and some action figures, a cupboard filled with clothes, and a small bed. Toph lay upon his bed, crying. I feel somewhat guilty, and really wished that for his sake, I could stay. But it was too late to back out now, and I had to explain that to him. His plate in hand, I slowly approach him.

"You okay, buddy?" I ask.

"Go away." He says, choking back tears. "Weave me awone!" He sobs loudly.

"Well I brought your pancakes," I offer, hoping for a truce.

But he continues crying. I leave his pancakes on top of this cupboard, and leave. I needed to go and doublecheck my things, because today is the day when they would check them, to make sure that they follow protocol for the Wick. I'm about to close the door when Toph says, "Mee-Wah?" I turn around.

I say in a light tone, "Yeah buddy?"

"You remember home? You come back?" Toph replies, sniffling.

"There's no place like home, buddy." I say and grin as he runs and hugs me. I felt so good, just then, because I knew he would never forget. He would never forget me and my promise. He would eagerly await me, knowing that one day I'd have to come Home. Alive or dead, one day I would come home. As he went to get dressed, I gave him one more glance, hoping it would not be my last.

***

After I double and triple checked, I grab my small duffel and sling it over my shoulder. I would hold the flame in my hand, in a container similar to that of a lighter. Across two continents and an ocean, I would have to carry it, no matter what. Not to make myself nervous or anything.

Whatever was bothering my mom earlier, didn't seem like a problem now. She smiles at me as Toph and I put on our shoes, knowing that this would be the last full day I would see her Toph before I returned. She says to me, "Got everything? Tolietries, clothes, money, snacks, compass, whistle, first aid kit, extra shoes, water bottles, literature---"

"Yes mom, I got it." I say, a bit embarrassed. Mom was so clingy, but I guess all moms would be, if your daughter was going on a hike of over 1000 miles. That right there deserves a gold medal, or at least a silver. Really, I wouldn't even care about getting bronze. At least I tried, right? That's all that matters.

"Wet's go! Wet's go!" That's one of the great things about Toph. He loves adventure, and was ready for me to have one of the best in the world.

"Yep, let's go." I say, and open the crooked front door with the dark, muddy window and step outside into the cool January air of Pivot. The small greenery we have growing in front of the miniature porch we have is lively in the wintery breeze. It sways majestically, and makes me think of Spring, they'll be coming oh so soon. I hear that back in the old days they used to use a groundhog to find out in winter was to stay. Oh how silly they were back then.

My mom swings the door behind us, and we stepped out into the rocky Main Street of Pivot, California. Pivot was founded some 50 years ago, so it's relatively new. It makes me think of how fast the world changes. The founder, Denver Twist, created it as a safe haven for travelers, seeing as a lot of the dangers of the wastes were around here. In 2272, seven years after its founding, it became a sedentary community. I was born about five years later, and Toph another ten.

"Where did they say to meet?" My mom asks.

"City Hall, I think." City Hall was a great building at the end of Main Street, that was probably the biggest site in the city. The town was only about four blocks long and three blocks wide, seeing as it got harder to protect the bigger it was. Anyway, as we stroll down the street at about 9:30 in the morning, who should emerge but my friend, Rolph Voil.

Rolph is 17 years old, and also, a bit handsome. He has sandy blonde hair that sways to the side and looks awesome when wet. His eyes are green and he is tall and muscular. He is probably the most popular at school(and yes, there IS school in the future. It doesn't die even if aliens invade!!!!) and is on the swim team, the football team, and in the advanced learning group. He has a girlfriend named Cecilia, but hang out with me a lot as well. We've been friends since we were little, ever since we met by this pond called Lilypad Drip and talked about what the world used to look like, before the Epitaph came. He's the one who told me all about the old world. I've learned more from him than any school I've ever been to. He hangs out with Cecilia a lot more lately, ever since he heard I was going to go to the Wax by myself.

Anyway, he walks over to us wearing skinny jeans and old T-shirt that read 'ARMY STRONG'. Like I'm supposed to know what that means.

"Hey Meera," he says, his voice lower than I remembered it. Wow. It must've been a long time then.

"Hi," I say, a bit shyly. I don't know why, but him he being here makes me a_ little _anxious.

"So……." he says. "You're heading out today?"

"Nope. Tomorrow. Just getting checked off." I reply, a bit stuttering. My mom is smiling, and Toph is happily skipping along and we are steadily on her way to the City Hall.

"Yeah, well, uh…" he stammers. "Well, you see I bought a Instant Travel Pass last week and well—"

"I'm afraid that's against the rules, Rolph." I say, and kind of fuming by the fact that he thinks I need help.

"No-no-no! That's how I meant! I mean-" he stutters, which is kind of becoming a little bit annoying.

Rolph is interrupted by a man a complete black armor, from head to toe. The helmet is like a gas mask, and the goggle parts are like deep black holes, that you could not understand nor even begin to see into. The suit itself was large and kind of like the old samurai warrior thing armor, with the curved shoulder blade pieces, except where there was supposed to be a sword, there were two laser rifles, one on each side. I assume this is my inspector.

"Hello Miss Flame. We've been expecting you." He says in a monotone, flat and straight. He then turns about-face, walks towards City Hall's front doors, pushes them casually, and walks in, as flat as the pace was before. We were about to follow suit, we heard someone yell behind us.

"Wait!" the voice of Cecilia, a thin, pale-silky-blonde-haired-blue-eyed girl echoes behind us. Rolph runs up to her and she into him. And together they walk up the stairs back to us. And with that, not only did I feel less comfortable, but there was now five of us entering the small City Hall.

"Did you tell her?" Cecilia whispers almost silently.

Rolph replies almost as quietly, "We were interrupted."

I whispered, "Whispering only works when the person you're whispering about CAN'T HEAR YOU."

They shut up then.

***

The inspector takes my bag and searched it not once, but four times. Security is getting tougher these days. He then makes sure that I know all protocol, and I'm sure on the route I'm taking. And then, the big event. The Eternal Flame. The inspector pulls out a briefcase, and out of that briefcase, a bag, and out of that, a box. And in that, a lighter. An ordinary three-inch orange lighter. Though it seemed to have a different feel to it. It's aura made me feel, well, warm. The inspector holds out the entire box, and says, "Only the Wick may hold the Flame," and that's when I wonder if he's an alien under there(I'm not racist, it's was just a thought).

I lower my hands, and (for dramatic effect), bring my hands slowly to the lighter. My hands become warmer as they grow closer until finally, they touch the lighter. A sudden burst of heat flares through my body, and I know initiation is complete.

I lower the Eternal Flame, and try to look inside of it, when the inspector says, "Be careful with that. You may burn your eyes out."Though I have the feeling he kind of wanted me to. All the reason this guy was really creepy.

"Well then," I say, ready to leave. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early."

And I almost made it too, and the inspector replied after me, "That is a funny joke, Miss Flame."

I kind of saw that coming. "What am I doing for the night then? Are we having a creepy-go-lucky sleepover?" Even Toph was repulsed, and that's when Rolph spoke.

"Meera," he say, the kind of tone telling me he was leaving me out of something. "Protocol 16-4.7 states that after inspection and initiation, the Wick may only leave through the designated exit on the following day, and may not return until the Flame is carried all the way to the Wax." He steps forward, his sandy hair drifting to the side as he does. Oh, if only he wasn't gorgeous, I would give him a piece of my mind. I let them talk anyway. Then he says something, that totally knocks me off my guard.

"I'm going with you." He says firmly. He looks toward the inspector who says casually (or as casually as this kind of a guy could), "This is allowed, as long as the Wick is okay with it, and you are inspected also."

"No no no no no---" I start but Rolph cuts me off.

"I'm not letting you go out there alone, to die." He says, and my mom nods behind him. I then realize the reason why he hung out with Cecilia since the announcement of my departure. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with her to make up for being gone so long. I highly doubt he's coming with me just to protect me, because he knows I am pretty tough, after 10 years. He's probably going for the thrill of adventure, which is actually one of the same reasons as I.

"But Cecilia---" I try to start again, but Rolph beats me to it.

"Will be fine with your mom and Toph." He counters, and as I try to think of another way to bust his bullet, he follows up. "It's like you don't want to spend some time with me." She rubs Toph on his head, wrinkling the hair they shared. Ugh, why _don't_ I want to come? Boys are so difficult sometimes. I nod in defeat, and he pounds his fist into the air.

"Great," he said excitedly. "Well, I'll just go get my-"

"No." Inspector speaks, a glint of evil his cold heartless eyes (look at that, I got some poetry flowing). "Protocol 61.6 states the candidate ,ust be checked with what he has, and that is now."

Rolph shrugs, and replies, "Oh well. I've got everything I really need." And looks down to his belt, and on it…..A GUN?!?!

"Whoa, there cowboy!" I exclaim. "What's the gun for?"

"Uh…hello? Crossing ruined continent taken over by alien monsters? Kind of dangerous?" He says, and pulls something out of his pocket. A ticket. The Instant Travel Pass.

So you see, an instant travel pod, introduced in about 2176, is basically a small tube stationed at different cities that allows you, with the insert of a ticket, to travel to any other pod/tube in a different city under five minutes. The closest one to Pivot is about a 10 minute walk from here, in an old 'gas station'.

The inspector asks, "You are aware that you cannot use this until the Wick reaches the East Coast?"

Rolph replies, "Yep." And is then further inspected and let off with a warning, that if he should use the pass before I reached the coast, he would be jailed for eternity. And trust me, they can do that.

"Well then," he says. "I guess it's time for goodbyes."

"Yeah…." I drift off, not wanting to say goodbye. Now my mom was the one who was crying, water steadily dripping out of her ocean blue eyes. Toph was patting her on the back, in an ironic way. Cecilia was crying too, and Rolph leaned over her, almost a foot taller than her. She says, sobbing, "We'll _all _be here when you get back." Whatever that meant.

"By-by Mee-Wah." Toph began to cry. "I wuv you…"

"Shhhhh…." I lean over and whisper to him. "Be mommy's big boy. Take care of her." My mom smiles, and says, "Good luck. We'll wait for you." She turns to Rolph. "We'll take care of her, don't worry."

We turn toward the Inspector standing by the door. "We're ready." I say. I turn one last time and wave a good-bye. Feeling emotion steadily rise, all I could muster was, "Bye."

My family waved and Mom cried, "I love you Meera!"

Oh, how clingy Mom could be sometimes.

But I loved her anyway. Because when your child moves to bigger and better things, it's hard to let go.

_NEXT WEEK: CHAPTER 3---The Dune Sweepers_


End file.
